THE COSMIC KID
by EmpressV
Summary: Our Krypton visitor's first years as Cark Kent in Smallville. (New part up, Clark meets Lana for the first time)
1. IMPRINTS

Title: Cosmic Kid #1 - IMPRINTS   
by: Empress Vader   
feedback: Lady_Vader21@hotmail.com   
SPOILERS: The Pilot maybe   
Summary: Baby Kal-El's early thoughts and feelings as he experiences his mother and father, Jor-El.   
homepage: http://dawnzone.crosswinds.net/fanzone/smallville.html 

Author's note: my first Smallville fic was crap, I thought I would never write one again. Anyway, that turned out not to be true. The muse spoke to me as I was looking at pictures of young Malkolm Alburquenque (who played the toddler Clark in the Smallville Pilot). I thought it would be interesting to write about Clark's journey from the perspective of a small child. I'm sort of putting my own spin on the situation. 

Disclaimer: Kal-El/ Clark Kent/ Superman belongs to DC comics, it's not mine, Smallville belongs to the WB, it's not mine. Just something written for for fun. 

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IMPRINTS   


The baby boy felt the arms around him and it was from the woman who held him that he got the imprint of mother. Her loving arms were his first memory. 

"Kal-El," she said pointing to him. "Kal-El," she said again. "You Kal-El." 

And there was a man, from whom he got the imprint of father. He entered the room and patted him affectionately on the head. And they were happy. 

One day father took him into a shiny room and showed him a little pod of sorts. The room was very shiny and so was the pod. 

"This will secure your future," he said kissing him on the head. 

And many days came and went where he came to understand father and mother more. He became mobile and curious. Mother told him stories. And Father took him into the lab every night and he measured him often. 

"They all think I'm crazy Kal-El. They think Krypton is immortal, that it will continue to spin among the heavens for many generations. They just don't understand." 

He did not know what a Krypton was, nor heavens, or generations, but he looked at his father wide eyed as he spoke. 

"Your mother doesn't know there isn't time to save us all. You little one will have to make the journey alone. You must be brave, will you be brave." 

He nodded, but he did not know what bravery was. It seems father wanted him to nod.   
  


And then the day of rumbles came. He lay secure in his crib when the shakes began. His mother had him out of the crib and in her arms before he knew what was going on. And from her, in that moment, he got the imprint of fear. 

"Bring him to the lab," father said running in the room. 

He didn't know what was going on. He suddenly knew fear in himself. 

"It came even sooner than I thought, but there is still time." 

"Time for?" his mother asked. 

"To send Kal-El to safety in the pod." 

"What? You said it was a test model, for a small animal." 

"It would have been, but I always prepared for the fact our son might have to go it alone." 

"No," she yelled. "He's just a baby." 

She ran to a corner and held him close. Her heartbeat sounded as loud as it had when he was inside her. He gripped her as tight as she gripped him. But the rumbles continued and from the room they had a clear view of the world falling down around them. The sight somehow eased mother's fear and she put him in his father's arms. 

"Save him," she said simply. 

And Father took him back to the shiny room. They both kissed him, then opened the shiny pod, then put him inside. All types of things were connected to him in the space womb. He lay secure in a warm blanket. And then it the pod was closed. 

"Ka-Well," were the last words he spoke as he was enclosed in a secure darkness. And Then there was a loud noise. And then...nothing.   



	2. IMPRINTS II: REBORN

Title: Cosmic Kid #2 - IMPRINTS TWO   
by: Empress Vader   
feedback: Lady_Vader21@hotmail.com   
SPOILERS: The Pilot maybe   
homepage: http://dawnzone.crosswinds.net/fanzone/smallville.html 

Summary: Young Clark Kent's early thoughts and feelings as he experiences the Kents in Smallville. 

Author's note: As I said before, I thought it would be interesting to write about Clark's journey from the perspective of a small child. 

Disclaimer: Kal-El/ Clark Kent/ Superman belongs to DC comics, it's not mine, Smallville belongs to the WB, it's not mine. Just something written for for fun. 

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IMPRINTS TWO: Reborn   


There was no time, only the mild idea of it as his feet began to feel cramped in the pod. Nourishment was provided, so he remained healthy and safe and warm within his space womb. There was no fear or pain, but there was no joy either. Just endless darkness into which many of his memories slipped. 

"Ka-Well," he sometimes whispered trying to retain a memory of the woman who'd said it to him so many times. But she only remained as an imprint, idea, a feeling. 

He welcomed the rumble when it came. He welcomed the change. And then suddenly there was light. He crawled out into this brightness with joy, out of his blankets, away from his attachments to the pod. He fell at first, his legs having to re-adjust to being used, but he was on his feet soon enough. He was free, but he was alone. He looked for mother, he looked for father. There was much noise, but it was distant. He saw something small and furry running across the ground and followed it. And it was then he came upon a large pod like thing. Had they come here as he had? He knelled down and looked inside. 

People! A man and woman! They looked at him and he smiled. 

"Who are you?" the woman questioned. 

"Probably a lost child," the man said. 

"We live in Smallville, we know most of the kids. I've never seen him before." 

"Ka-Well," he said. It was the only word he remembered. His comfort word. 

'Can they get out?' the boy wondered for they didn't move. He grabbed the door and pulled. It opened easily and the woman tumbled out. The man crawled out behind her. They studied each other for awhile. 

"Ka-Well," the boy said again. 

"What did he say?" 

"Kawall I think. I don't know what it means, but it seems to be the only thing he can say. He doesn't have a stitch of clothing on." 

He wanted them to understand who he was, that he had fallen here like them. So he ran off toward the pod. 

"Wait little boy," the man said. And they both ran after him. 

He stopped in front of the pod and looked up at the two people. They looked surprised to see his pod. He touched some markings on his surface and repeated, "Ka-Well". 

"Is the ship called Kawall, is it where he came from?" the man asked. 

"I don't know," the woman said. She reached in and picked up the blanket. Then she wrapped him in it and lifted him up. 

"Where did you come from?" she asked. 

He looked up and then they looked up. He wasn't really responding to the question, he just wanted to look at the sky again. 

"So you came from the sky?" the woman questioned. 

To all the words he didn't understand, his response could only be a smile. 

"I think we should get him home," the woman said. "It's going to be crazy out here soon." 

"Home?" the man questioned. "Honey, he's not our child." 

"That ships not equipped for a return flight is it?" 

"Not that I can tell" 

"Then wherever he came from, he's not going back and he needs someone to take care of him. He came to us Jonathan." 

The man looked unsure. 

"When we talked to the adoption people, we said we'd take any child who needs us. He needs us." 

He looked at the boy and the boy looked at him. 

"He has such brilliant eyes, doesn't he?" the man questioned patting him affectionately. "Take him home," the man said. "I have to figure out what to do with this." 

"Thank you honey," she said leaving with the boy.   
  
  


Suddenly there were new colors and sounds and lights. And smells, glorious smells everywhere. As soon as she put him on the floor he ran around looking at everything. 

"Little Boy," the woman called. 

Boy? Was that him he wondered. He stopped exploring and walked back up to her. 

"Boy?" he question. The first word he'd spoken to her besides Ka-well. 

"Yes, you're a boy," the woman said. "I suppose you need an actual name though. We'll figure that out when your dad gets home." 

They stared at each other for awhile. 

"You need something to wear," she said taking his hand and walking him into a room with two big white machines and various piles of clothing. She pulled out a T-shirt and slipped it over his head. It fell to his knees. 

"That will have to do for now," the woman said. 

He smiled, tugging at his shirt if only to feel it in his hands.   
  


He was eating some homemade cookies and sitting cross-legged on the floor when the man returned. He had never tasted such things before. He liked this woman, she was nice, and he was happy. 

"Has he eaten any real food?" the man questioned as he came to sit beside the woman. 

"Listen to you," the woman said. "You already sound like a father." 

"Do I?" he looked down at the quiet boy enchanted by his cookie. 

"Has he said anything besides that weird word?" 

"Yes," she replied. "He said 'Boy'. I called him boy and he was asking me if he was a boy." 

"Ka-Well," the little boy said looking up at them. "Boy." 

"Think we'll be good parents." 

"Someone could come for him. We can't get attached." 

"He's a baby honey," she said. "It's hard not to get attached. But if we tell anyone where he came from--" 

"I know. He's our responsibility, but we'll have to keep it quiet for awhile till I can make it look like a formal adoption." 

"How long do you think it will take?" 

"A few days I guess. It would be best if we waited as long as possible before telling anyone. It would be strange if right after this meteor incident we showed up on the streets with a child." 

This conversation only registered in the back of the boys mind as he caught sight of something beautiful. It was a crystal clear statue of a woman with wings. It fascinated him. He got up and toddled over to it. It was too high to reach so he started to climb-- 

CRASH !!!! 

The man and woman were by his side in seconds. The imprint of fear returned with the noise and he cried. The woman lifted him off the broken cabinet's bed of glass and had him in her arms comforting him in seconds. 

"Guess we're going to have to baby proof," she said as she examined his body for marks. 

"Do we have to take him to the hospital?" Jonathan asked. 

Her eyes widened in shock. "He's just upset. There's not one cut on him Jonathan, not one cut. He was laying on glass, sharp pieces of glass." 

Jonathan examined the boy himself. 

"What are you, some kid of Super kid?" the man asked. 

He wasn't crying, but he was still upset. The woman whispered tenderly, he was comforted, and soon he calmed. 

"He needs a name," the woman said. 

"Why don't we give him the name talked about giving our son anyway?" 

"Clark?" 

"Yeah, Clark Kent." 

"Sounds right. Welcome to our family Clark Kent. Welcome to your new life." 

They both hugged him and kissed him and the imprints of Mother and father returned to him. And then he knew love and everything that came before began to fade.   
  



	3. The New Kent

Title: Cosmic Kid #3 - The New Kent   
by: Empress Vader   
feedback: Lady_Vader21@hotmail.com   
homepage: http://dawnzone.crosswinds.net/fanzone/smallville.html 

Summary: Clark Kent officially becomes a part of Smallville, but his parents are afraid that his special abilities will cause trouble. 

Disclaimer: Kal-El/ Clark Kent/ Superman belongs to DC comics, it's not mine, Smallville belongs to the WB, it's not mine. Just something written for for fun. 

--------------------------------- 

Metropolis: 

Three year old Clark ran through the store, he couldn't ever remember being in a place like this. He loved the feeling of new clothes against his skin. It would change in coming years, he would come to pull away and be embarrassed when his mother dressed him in front of kiddie store mirrors. He would even find shopping boring. But right now every sight, smell, touch, was new. And toys, tons of toys. Toys all over the place. There were all kinds of sizes and shapes and types. Some made noises and played music and moved. But the oddest thing caught his attention. It was a toy that looked like a person and did nothing at all. It was a doll. It had long dark hair and pretty brown eyes. 

"Marfa look," he yelled as he pointed at a doll. "What's that." 

"That's a doll, little girls play with them," Martha said. "And don't call me Martha, call me mom." 

"It'll come," Jonathan said with a comforting touch to her shoulder. 

"Jon-fin I want," Clark said. His simple vocabulary was still somewhat simple, but easily expanding. They'd only had him two days and were constantly surprised how he soaked up information. 

"But it's a girl's toy," his father said. 

"Jonathan get him the toy," his mother said. "It's harmless." 

Jonathan shrugged and added it to the cart. 

They'd left Smallville a week ago. The town was still recovering from the Meteor shower. In the commotion of the after effects no one was really paying much attention to the Kents. They'd manage to keep Clark hidden from prying eyes for a few days and disappeared in the middle of the night with the boy asleep in the car. By the time Clark woke up they were far enough away from Smallville that Martha could walk around with him. In Metropolis, your business was your own. And the first thing they had to take care of was making Clark legally there child. A good chunk of their saving had went to some underground sources in the city so they could aquire records that supported their story about Clark's adoption. 

Not knowing his own strength, Clark still made the occasional mistake of breaking things. It seemed like they were saying 'be careful' all the time. Another huge chunk of there savings went into buying supplies, a small toddler bed and some other children's furniture to be delivered to their Smallville home. They were weighed down with clothes, shoes, toys, etc. etc. to lug back on their own. Knowing this would probably be there only child, they went overboard, but they were aware of their indulgence. 

Tomorrow they would be back in Smallville, officially a family. As they left the store with the new packages, this reality weighed heavy on Martha. Metropolis had been an escape, a safe haven. People saw her with a child and that was all she needed to be Clark's mother. Smallville knew she hadn't given birth to Clark, not that it made her love him any less. 

"Won't people think it's weird he calls us by our names," Martha asked Jonathan softly. 

"No," Jonathan said. "Lots of kids experiment with it. Some parents even prefer it." 

"Well I want him to call me mom," Martha said. "Do you think anyone will find out these papers are fake. I mean if they.." 

"Honey, no one has a reason to question it. We have a good reputation around there. People will trust these papers because they don't have a reason to do anything else." 

"I'm just so scared of going back home and having him snatched away. Or finding out it's all a dream. I couldn't love him anymore, but I don't feel like he's ours yet." 

"Marfa look," Clark said pointing to some balloons as they walked out the door. 

"What a cute little boy," said the woman at the balloon stand. He smiled. "Is he yours?" 

"Yes," Martha said. 

"Should have known, those are Mommy's eyes aren't they?" She pinched his cheek and gave him a balloon. 

"What do you say Clark?" 

"Your Welcome," he said proudly. 

"No, your suppose to say thank you." 

"That's okay," the woman said. "I know what he meant. Bye pretty boy." 

"Bye," Clark said. 

The Kents packed the last of their packages and started toward home.   
  


--------------------   
Smallville: 

As the Kents pulled in front of the local store, several people paused as the little boy emerged from their car. They had been home since last night. Clark had slept on a cot, his bed would arrive that evening. He was dressed in a red shirt and little blue overalls. Curious people came up and looked at him. 

"Well well who's this?" said one man. 

"The newest Kent, my son Clark," Jonathan said proudly. 

"You finally got adopted a kid huh? And a fine boy he is." 

The man ruffled his hair and walked away. They turned to go in the store and ran right into Nell coming out. 

"Martha!" Nell said shocked. "You're back?" 

"Yeah," Martha replied. 

"Marfa?" Clark questioned. "Who dis?" 

Nell suddenly saw the little boy holding Jonathan's hand. 

"Hello, who are you" 

"Me Clark," he said. "Me boy." 

"We just adopted him," Martha said. 

"Then I guess we're both new parents, I've been officially declared Lana's legal guardian." 

"That's good," Martha said. 

"You'll probably handle this mother thing better than me, I mean you were born for it and you wanted it so long. Me and Lana, Lana and I, we're a mess. She's grieving in her own little way, not really understanding what happened. And I'm--well I'm no better. It's amazing how different the daily grind of raising a child can be from short days of baby-sitting." 

"You'll figure it out," Martha said. "We both will. The way all parents do." 

Considering Nell was her husband's ex, it was weird how she felt connected to her at this moment. Both of them nervous, new parents of toddlers. Martha gave Nell a comforting hug and then Nell walked away. Martha breathed a sigh of relief. 

"He's ours now, a part of the town" Jonathan whispered into her ear. And then he kissed her gently on the head. But it still didn't seem real to her, it didn't seem real to have this little child as she did her grocery shopping. She was still afraid something would happen, someone would find out, and he would be gone.   


Jonathan was right, Smallville was a place where everyone knew everyone and word of the new Kent spread through word of mouth. No one thought anything of it, no one grilled them about there story, they just accepted Clark as the son of the Kents. No one seemed to even care or make a big deal about the fact he was adopted. Clark was just Martha and Jonathan's son. His parents were still afraid to be too far from him, afraid he would show his super strength or some other odd ability the hadn't seen yet in front of someone. The first couple weeks there was always some excuse when people called about play dates and Clark coming to birthday parties. People made up there own excuses as to why Martha seemed to be so protective and possessive of the child. However, Martha could tell Clark was getting frustrated and lonely. As much as he loved being around them, he needed people his own age. She didn't know what to do about that, she didn't know if it was even safe for him to be with other kids. 

He was very gentle when he needed to be, despite his super strength. They saw that as they taught him how to handle and care for different animals. Most of the time he didn't feel or look or act any different than most toddlers. But there were those moments where he lifted something he shouldn't be able to or played to hard and left a dent or crack in something. And those were the moments she was afraid would happen the second he wasn't in there sight. But he would have to go to school one day, deal with the outside world. She knew that.   


One day Nell called asking for help preparing a meal for Lana's Grandparents, who wanted to come up and check on Lana. Jonathan was busy, so Clark came with Martha over to Nell's house. He was holding his doll and a GI Joe he'd gotten while in Metropolis. Jonathan wasn't to happy about Clark walking around with a Doll, but at Martha's insistence he let it be. When they got to Nell's door, she was waiting for them. 

"Hello Clark," Nell said. 

"Hi," Clark said. 

"Have you met my niece Lana?" 

Clark shook his head no. 

"Come with me," she said taking his hand. She walked him into the living room with Martha close behind. 

Clark saw her for the first time sitting in the living room floor coloring with her whole fist around a crayon. He couldn't say much at first. She reminded him of something he couldn't place. Lana looked up at him. He looked at her dark hair and brown eyes, took the sight in, analyzed it. She seemed really sad. She looked back down at her coloring paper obviously disinterested in the visitors. Suddenly Clark placed her face. 

"Marfa, she a doll," Clark said softly. Nell laughed. 

"I think somebody has a crush." 

"Please, they're just babies." 

"A doll," Clark said showing Martha his doll. 

Martha realized to him she looked a lot like his doll. "She's a doll," Martha laughed realizing this. 

"Lana," Nell said. "Say hi to Clark." 

"Hi," she mumbled. 

"Clark, why don't you stay here and play with her." 

He nodded. Nell headed toward the kitchen. Martha reluctantly followed, glancing back every few seconds at Clark finally disappearing around a corner. Clark came and sat in front of Lana. She didn't pay him any attention, so he picked up the crayon on the floor. 

"What's that?" he said holding it. 

"It's a horsey," Lana said thinking he was talking about her picture. 

"Marfa got me horsey," Clark said. 

Lana looked at him. "You're lying. Ms. Kent didn't get you a horse." 

"Lots of Horse. A horsey like this," he said showing her the crayon. 

Lana laughed. Because Lana was laughing, he laughed. 

"You're silly," the girl said. "That's a crayon that's not a horse."   
  
  


In the kitchen, Nell heard the laughing. 

"She's laughing," Nell said. "I haven't heard her laugh since...bless that kid of yours." 

Martha smiled.   
  


In the living room, Lana was suddenly interested in Clark. Now that the name of the crayon was cleared up Lana looked at the toys Clark had brought. She picked up the doll. 

"What are you doing with a doll? It's a girl's toy and you're a boy," Lana said. 

"Marfa bought it for me." 

"Isn't Marfa your mommy?" 

He thought about it a minute and shook his head yes. 

"Then why don't you call her Mommy?" 

"She call me Clark, I call her Marfa." 

"Yeah mommies 'pose to use kids names, but kids call there mommy mommy and there daddy daddy. You're 'pose to." 

"She your mommy?" Clark asked pointing to a picture of Nell. 

"No," Lana said. She went and got a small photo album from the shelf and turned to a wedding picture. "That's my mommy and daddy." 

"Where Mommy and Daddy?" 

"Mine? In heaven," she said pointing up. 

"They come back?" 

"No," Lana said sadly. She put the book away and picked up the doll he'd bought. "It's a pretty doll." 

"It's like you," Clark said. 

Lana smiled. "I have dolls, lots of them. But my favorite fell behind the TV. Dad gave it to me. Aunt Nell can't move the TV, dad put the TV there. It's really heavy, but he was really strong so he could've moved it.." 

"I move it," Clark said running to the TV. 

"You can't, you're too little," Lana said. 

But before she knew what was going on Clark had pushed the huge floor model TV over enough that Lana could grab her doll. The doll's face was black from dirt and dust, but Lana couldn't have been more thrilled as she took the doll in her arms. 

"Thank you Clark, thank you." 

She ran into the kitchen. "Aunt Nell, Clark moved the TV, I got my doll back." 

"What?" Nell said. "He couldn't have..." 

Both parents ran into the living room and saw the TV pulled out. 

"I helped her," Clark said to his mother. 

"I knew he couldn't have done it by himself. They probably both pushed it." 

"But Aunt Nell he--" 

"What you two did was very dangerous," Nell chastised. "What if the TV had fallen on one of you? Never do something dangerous for a toy." 

"But Aunt--," Lana whined. 

"Give her a break," Martha said knowing Clark probably had moved the TV on his own. "I better take Clark home. 

"I don't know how kids do things like this, I can barely move that TV. But get a determined child involved and ---." 

"Say bye Clark," Martha said. 

"We're leaving?" Clark asked sadly. 

"Yes" 

"I see Lana again?" 

"I don't see why not," Martha said, but she was really thinking Clark would never be over here again. 

He picked up his toys and took his mothers hand. As they headed for the door he looked down at his dolls face. He thought it looked better than the one she pulled from behind the TV. And suddenly he wanted Lana to have it. 

"I want to give it to Lana Mommy," Clark said. 

"What did you call me?" Martha couldn't help smiling. 

Clark thought maybe he had said something wrong, but Lana had said that's what he was suppose to call her. 

"You finally called me mommy," she said hugging Clark close. "Thank you." 

He smiled realizing Lana had been right. "Can I give it to her mommy?" 

"Yeah," Martha said letting him walk back toward Lana. 

"You can keep this," Clark said handing it to Lana. "It's a girl toy." 

"Thank you Clark. I hope you can come play again." 

"I want to play." 

Lana hugged Clark and then he left. Maybe Clark could play with her again Martha reasoned.   
  
  


At home, Jonathan heard about what happened at Nell's and realized he had to talk to his son. He put the boy on his shoulders, surprised that a child so unnaturally strong could be as light as any other toddler. He took him on a long walk and then sat him down beside him in a deserted field. 

"Clark, I know you want to play with other kids," Jonathan said. "But you have to be very careful not to show them that you're a little stronger than them." 

The boy stared at him blankly. 

"Your a very special boy Clark and it's a great thing. It's a gift to be so little and be as strong as you are, but your just a little boy and all little boys aren't suppose to be that strong. When you're playing, you have to be very careful. Because other children aren't as strong as you, like Lana. They might get hurt by accident if you're too rough or if they try to do the things you do." 

"Why daddy?" 

"Daddy?" he repeated beaming as much as Martha. "You know how long I wanted a little boy who would call me that?" He said these things to himself, but Clark could tell from both there reactions that they wanted to be called Mommy and Daddy instead of Martha and Jonathan. So from then on he used the titles instead of there names. 

"I don't know why you're different," his father said. "I just know if you want to stay with me and mommy and you want to play with other little kids, you have to hide some of the things you can do." 

"Okay Daddy," Clark said. "Dinner time?" 

"Yeah, dinner time," Jonathan smiled back. He didn't really know if Clark understood at all. 

As he walked back to the house with Clark he knew this wouldn't be the last conversation. There would be many more about acting like other kids, being cautious about not hurting others. He had to have these things drummed into his head for his own safety. And in those first days he mostly just smiled as his father talked to him and nodded, but there would come a day when "because Daddy said so" wouldn't be enough.   



End file.
